Members of the public attending the parade cheered to drown out the disruption.
The protesters then danced and swaggered away, smiling and waving at an unimpressed crowd.
Destiny Church members broke through police barricades and disrupted tonight's Rainbow Parade in central Auckland.
A police spokesman said several individuals reportedly forced their way through barriers on Ponsonby Rd near Williamson Ave.
“Police responded and moved the individuals off the road,” he said.
Destiny Church members walk down Ponsonby Rd as they protest tonight's Auckland Rainbow Parade.
‘No place for thuggery’
Auckland’s Mayor Wayne Brown criticised the action of protesters after an earlier violent disruption at a children’s event in the city featuring a drag king.
“The actions of Destiny Church today are totally unacceptable. While I respect freedom of speech and the right to peaceful protest, to enter a council library facility that is there for all our communities to use and intimidate council staff, volunteers and community members going about their business, is completely out of line.
“There is absolutely no place for thuggery,” he said.
He said Auckland was home to 1.7 million people from all walks of life, “and I value the diversity of the communities that make up our great city”.
Brown said: “The kind of behaviour that was on display today is disgraceful and unacceptable.”
The actions of Destiny Church in Te Atatū today are totally unacceptable. While I respect freedom of speech and the right to peaceful protest, there is absolutely no place for thuggery.
Tamaki said of the Rainbow Parade disruption on social media: “Our radical young people have had enough! Our Man Up men have had enough! Destiny Church has had enough!
“The debauchery in the Rainbow Parade has gone on for too long! Auckland has long been overrun with this woke, rainbow agenda.
“And no surprise, the boys in blue were there again ... protecting their beloved rainbows.”
Toddlers, children barricaded in room as protesters storm venue
Violence erupted at a library drag event earlier in the day when members of Destiny Church groups stormed a community centre to protest a children’s show.
It drew the ire of Green Party co-leader Chlöe Swarbrick and Auckland Council, who both condemned the acts as “sad” and “disappointing”, and forced the cancellation of a second show at another community centre.
The melee, involving the church’s Man Up and Legacy groups and youngsters,happened at Te Atatū Community Centre and saw protesters punching, pushing and shoving their way inside.
Event organiser Auckland Pride billed the event as a “musical, magical adventure exploring the science of the skies” and was open to all ages.
About 30 toddlers, young children and adults had to be barricaded inside, RNZ reported.
Chloe Swarbrick at the Auckland Rainbow Parade on Ponsonby Rd. Photo / Sylvie Whinray
Swarbrick, who has spoken with event organisers, said those targeted were “incredibly shaken up, and I think that’s the intention of this intimidation and violence”.
The church groups, protesting against a show featuring a drag king with a focus on science, were denied entry to the ticketed event before bowling past staff trying to stop them.
Revellers at the Auckland Rainbow Parade on Ponsonby Rd defiant against Destiny Church's Man Up protesters. Photo / Sylvie Whinray
Tamaki posted on social media: “Proud of my people who are out in the community today, making a stand against the woke agenda plaguing our city.
Tamaki later told the Herald that Man Up was forced to step up and take peaceful action with the Government refusing to “address the excessive spending on borderline pornography and perversion targeting our innocent Kiwi kids”.
The council’s community director Rachel Kelleher told the Herald: “The council is extremely disappointed in the non-peaceful actions of protesters [at the] rainbow-friendly educational event.
Raphael Franks is an Auckland-based reporter who covers breaking news. He joined the Herald as a Te Rito cadet in 2022.
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